


Human beloved

by plopdropflop



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Demons, Fluff, Gen, It's just them looking after the Dreamies, Jaemin and Chenle are demons, This is very plotless, very cute, very soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 18:00:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29904939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/plopdropflop/pseuds/plopdropflop
Summary: In which NCT Dream is a group of five, living with their accidentally obtained, surprisingly pleasent duo of demons.(Or: a short glimpse into how Jaemin and Chenle look after their humans throughout their busy lives).
Relationships: Huang Ren Jun & Na Jaemin, Lee Jeno & Na Jaemin, Na Jaemin & Zhong Chen Le, Park Jisung & Zhong Chen Le
Comments: 4
Kudos: 34





	Human beloved

**Author's Note:**

> This isn't edited nor beta read. Please excuse any mistakes. Enjoy!

He makes it one step into the dorm before collapsing. 

Is he being dramatic? Yes. Renjun will be the first to admit that he very much could've tolerated the short trek to his room for a much deserved nap. However in that moment, with his legs sore and on fire after the  _ horrible _ dance practice, a long walk home after their car broke halfway, and a dreadful trudge up the stairs when the elevator had a pretty plastic sticker of  _ maintenance  _ pasted all over it, even a single step felt like a herculean task. 

He was the last to make it up here. Jeno and Jisung have already dispersed into their rooms. Mark and Donghyuck were probably already tucked into bed back at the 127 dorms, poor things must be exhausted from their constant back and forth schedules.

The tiles are comfortable, and cold enough that it soothes his nerves. He presses his cheek against it and looks around the living room, spotless and sparkling like it's just been cleaned. From the TV to the coffee table to the sofa and — ah, there he is. 

Jaemin is currently a tiny black blob, tucked into the space between two cushions, white beady eyes staring at Renjun with curiosity palpable even through the minimalist expression. When it becomes clear that Renjun isn't going to budge from his spot, the blob slowly unfurls and rises, smoky black tendrils extending and distending, as mesmerizing and enchanting as usual. 

By the time he reaches Renjun, the figure is vaguely humanoid, and if Renjun squints hard enough, he can see Jaemin's confused expression printed upon the translucent face staring down at him. 

"What are you doing on the floor?" Jaemin asks innocently, dropping down onto his knees and carding a warm hand through Renjun's hair. Renjun practically melts at the touch, snuggling into Jaemin's vague impression of a semi-solid thigh with a content sigh. 

"I'm too tired to walk," Renjun says, pouting up at Jaemin. 

Immediately, Jaemin bristles, stray tendrils stiffening into spikes, his eyes flashing an angry red. "Are they going too hard on you?" 

"No, I just… bad day, I guess. Come on, take me to my room," he demands before Jaemin could get more worried — it's already hard enough convincing them to stay at the dorms during practice, and Renjun doesn't want an incident of a poor staff member just trying to do her job being on the receiving end of their fury.

He shoves at the muddy body surrounding him as the demon laughs. Settling into a proper human form, Jaemin scoops Renjun up into his arms effortlessly and carries him with a comforting sway in his steps, humming under his breath the old lullabies he sings to Chenle to make the younger demon fall asleep. Today, it works on Renjun as well, and he feels his eyes dropping shut. 

He barely registers it as his back gently hits the mattress, and covers are tucked securely around him. Jaemin's lips are burning on his forehead, and that's all it takes for him to be lulled to sleep.

* * *

Jeno groans as his screen is blocked  _ again  _ by the fumbling wisps situated on his chest. He looks down at Chenle, who only blinks up innocently at him as he nuzzles into the crook of Jeno's neck with an affectionate purr. Unlike Jaemin, who runs at the temperature of a furnace, Chenle is  _ cold.  _ His presence sends goosebumps down Jeno's skin, but the familiar chill is always welcome in his heart. 

"You're blocking the screen," Jeno tries to tell Chenle gently, only to be ignored at the formless mass shoves insistently into Jeno's shoulder —  _ pet me,  _ he means. 

And who is Jeno to deny? 

He threads his fingers through the smoky wisps, smiling involuntarily when Chenle fades from a deep purple to a bright, happy yellow. He practically melds into Jeno's neck, growing heavier and heavier until what rests atop Jeno's chest is a human looking boy. 

Chenle grins up at him, too-sharp teeth a vicious display that doesn't feel threatening at all. Not to Jeno,  _ never  _ to any of the members. Chenle loves them too much to even consider ever harming them. 

"Hungry," Chenle whines after a moment, his hair turning and alarming shade of red. 

"I can't cook for you, Lele, you know this," Jeno explains gently. If it were someone like Jisung, Jeno could offer some ramen or cut fruit, but unfortunately Chenle's stomach still isn't used to human-food. He feasts on the food Jaemin hunts for him during the night. Only the elder demon can feed him at the current moment. 

"Find Nana then." Chenle clearly won't let this go, so Jeno relents and stands up, Chenle clinging onto him like a koala though considerate enough to mostly be weightless. 

Jaemin is fussing over Jisung in the kitchen. Jeno is so used to the sight that he doesn't even bat an eye as he approaches them, placing Chenle on the countertop where the demon immediately strikes conversation with a half-asleep Jisung. 

"Chenle is hungry," Jeno answers Jaemin's unspoken question asked through wide eyes. How cute. Nothing like the supposedly terrifying demon he was back in the underworld, sharp teeth and an even sharper mind, tasked with keeping an eye on the more powerful, more cruel demons with liberty to step in and deal with them as he pleases. Somewhere during that job, he had acquired himself a Chenle, immediately taking the young one under his wing. 

"What about you? Jisung said you guys didn't get any snacks during the practice. Humans need proper nutrients after prolonged exercise, don't they? It's so irresponsible of the company to just let you guys go without giving you sustenance, I swear, when I get my hands on them I'll—"

"Jaemin," Jeno interrupts calmly, taking in Jaemin's hands into his own and smiling warmly. "You're here to do that for us, aren't you?"

"Of course," Jaemin nods furiously. "I just fed Jisung, and Renjun fell asleep before I could cook — oh  _ Jeno  _ will he be alright? Oh no, I should've made him stay awake, but… but sufficient rest is important too so how could I? But he didn't have food and he was so  _ tired  _ and…  _ Jeno, will he be okay?!"  _ Jaemin tackles Jeno's shoulder in his distress, grip tight enough to bruise. Used to Jaemin's neurotic tendencies, Jeno gently removes the hands and pulls Jaemin into a hug. Skin-on-skin contact always soothes the two demons, and from the corner of his eye, he can see Jisung do the same to Chenle, who's always sensitive to his guardian's emotions. 

"Nana, calm down. Renjun will be fine. Make him a big breakfast tomorrow, okay? Jisung and I will get enough sleep too, so don't worry about us. It'll be alright," Jeno explains slowly, holding on tight until Jaemin relaxes in his hold. 

Straightening up, Jaemin heads over to Chenle and pats his cheek affectionately. "I have for you some steak," he says, reaching into the fridge and pulling out a cold, half-cooked, purple slab of meat that's oozing with something transparent. Jeno sees the way Jisung recoils at the sight, and it takes all his self control not to do the same and hurt Jaemin's delicate feelings. 

Chenle, meanwhile, digs into the meal cheerfully, and Jaemin watches him with affection seeping out of every pore. If Jeno could ignore the blood seeping out the meat, he's sure he would have the same expression. 

Jisung looks a bit green as he bids them good night. "I'm gonna try sleeping in tomorrow, so don't wake me up," he warns as he walks out the kitchen. Jeno can't help but roll his eyes. That brat, making demands as if he isn't the youngest here. 

Once Chenle is done eating, Jaemin takes the liberty to tuck him in with Jisung —  _ I'm only letting you sleep here if you promise not to keep Jisung awake.  _ Chenle promises with sparkling eyes. It's obvious he wouldn't behave. 

And then it's just the two of them, and Jaemin collapses onto the sofa with a tired sigh. "Not even the demons back at home made me this tired," Jaemin complains loudly. It's lighthearted, Jeno knows, because Jaemin's love for them is as unquestionable as the warmth of a flame and the taste of sugar. Burning yet sweet, a fitting description.

Still, it doesn't stop Jeno from worrying, and he cards a hand through Jaemin's soft pink hair. "Are the kids being too much? Renjun and I can take over for you tomorrow," he offers. 

"No, no. You both need to rest. Speaking of, it's late Jeno. Go to bed," Jaemin says, frowning up at him with a pout, and Jeno can't help himself. He squishes Jaemin's cheeks between his palms, so  _ endeared  _ he can't even name the warmth that fizzes through his chest.  _ God,  _ Jaemin was so  _ cute.  _ He reminds Jeno too much of the cats back at home. 

"I'll go to sleep,  _ if  _ you will cuddle me," Jeno says with a grin. 

Jaemin huffs. "You use me as a personal heater! What will the demons back home say, seeing their ruler reduced to  _ this?"  _

"I'm sure they'll still be very terrified by you, sweet Nana," Jeno says indulgently, pulling at the cheeks. Jaemin can't keep the smile off his face anymore. The beautiful grin decorates his face, dazzling like diamonds under sunlight. 

It's then that Jeno's body betrays him and he erupts into a massive yawn.

"I will take you to the bed," Jaemin is quick to get on his feet, hauling Jeno up and over his shoulder like a sack of rice, and there isn't anything Jeno can do but groan and thump his fists on Jaemin's back. Useless, when Jaemin just wills himself to phase through Jeno's hits. 

When they're both tucked in, and Jeno's on the cusp of falling asleep, a chill passes through the room, making him shiver involuntarily. Only a second, and then Jaemin is shifting, summoning his wings with a sleepy daze in his eyes. He wraps the appendage around Jeno like a warm heated blanket, smiling softly to himself as Jeno snuggles into the heat with a content sigh. 

Perhaps the thrill of hunting down and shackling demons can never be replaced, but to Jaemin, the euphoria of taking care of his precious humans is a tier above all else.

* * *

Chenle giggles as Jisung narrates a long-winded story about Donghyuck and their dance instructor. Humans are so funny! He wishes he could join them to their practices, maybe tucked away in one of their pockets as a little blob, but Jaemin hyung is always busy with work related things and has to stay behind. Chenle knows his hyung will get lonely if left alone, so he spends those hours nestled into Jaemin's hair instead, as Jaemin does paperwork about whatever demon he had shackled that week. 

During times like this, Jisung catches Chenle up on all the fun human activities he had missed. When Chenle tells Jisung how much he enjoys it, Jisung looks oddly sad. 

"What's wrong?" Chenle asks, concerned, propping himself up on his elbows and looking at Jisung's face.

"Well… it's not really  _ normal _ human activities, at least not for kids my age," Jisung explains with a sigh. 

Chenle cocks his head to the side. He doesn't understand. 

"Kids… kids my age would be busy hanging out with their friends, going to the movies, maybe a few parties, or something like that. I don't — I don't really know because I've never experienced it but, it's just… you know how every time I go out, someone has to accompany me?" 

Chenle nods. He had always asked Jisung why  _ he  _ couldn't just accompany Jisung outside. He would provide much more protection than any human, for sure. 

"That doesn't happen to other kids my age. I don't know, I just…" Jisung sighs, burying his face into the pillow. 

Chenle is a bit confused, but he takes a moment to think it over. Haechan hyung always told him the importance of thinking before speaking after all. Jisung is an idol, and most teenagers aren't. Therefore Jisung doesn't experience life the same way other teenagers do, and he's sad about it. 

Or is he? 

"Does it… bother you?" Chenle asks softly, reaching over to card a hand through Jisung's hair. It's soft from the recent wash, shiny under the dim nightlight. 

"I don't know. Sometimes it does, but I don't think I'd ever trade this job for that. I mean, at least here I get to do what I love, with… with the people I love. And—" he looks up from the pillow, gazes into Chenle's eyes with emotion tangible enough to taste "— I got to meet you, right?" 

Chenle can't help the giggles that erupt, smacking Jisung with a pillow. It's not often his best friend is so openly  _ soft,  _ so he must take advantage of the moment when it arises. Jisung flushes, face disappearing once again, and Chenle throws himself on top of the boy with a squeal, melting into something akin to a blanket and enveloping Jisung in his embrace.

"I love you too," he says, snuggling in deep. When Jisung jams a finger into his squishy body, he screams once more, and he's just about to retaliate when—

" _ Bed!" _ A shrill voice screams through the walls, no doubt Jaemin awoken by their banter. A sleepy Jaemin was always a grumpy Jaemin after all.

* * *

Chenle sighs, relaxing into Jaemin's hair, watching him type furiously into his laptop. He purrs gently, trying to calm his guardian down from whatever new troubles his job is bringing. 

"Sorry darling, it's just a frustrating client," Jaemin soothes, absent-mindedly patting at where Chenle is. Chenle can't speak in this form, so he just lets out a slight hum. 

It's how they spend most afternoons. He slept late with Jisung the night before, so he decides to take a nap. Just as he dozes off into dreamland, a sharp wave of something  _ wrong  _ spikes through his spine, making him jolt up in fear. Beneath him, Jaemin stiffens and his fingers hover atop the keyboard, a slight tremble. 

Chenle focuses on the feeling, heart hammering, and with growing horror he realizes it's his brain unconsciously responding to something happening to their humans. Attuned to their bodies even when Chenle isn't aware, anything significantly off would send alarm bells ringing in his head. 

Jaemin gets up, pinpointing the source faster than Chenle can. He's scooped into Jaemin's pockets in a hurry, the elder demon immediately teleporting to where their humans are gathered — their practice room. 

Chenle barely gets time to collect himself from the sudden jump when the distress permeates right through his brain, the air sticky with pain and fear. Jaemin drops to his knees faster than Chenle can even process the situation, exclaiming with horror, "what the  _ fuck  _ happened?" 

Chenle wriggles out of the pocket, hitting the floor and morphing into his usual form. What he sees makes his blood freeze, heart stuttering with its fear. 

His precious Jisung is on the floor, clutching his ankle, the other members crowded around him in varying states of panic. To Chenle's relief, there's no one else in the room to witness Jaemin's frenzied teleportation, but even that is short lived when a pained whimper slaps him back into reality. 

"What happened?" Jaemin demands again, eyes flashing dangerous violet, and though his anger isn't directed at any of them, the members still shrink into themselves. Jaemin notices this, and his expression softens as he reaches out to tug Jisung into his lap. 

"Jisung, baby, how much does it hurt?" Jaemin asks softly.

Jisung groans in response. "S- stings."

"He just fell over suddenly, but he was fine moments before," Donghyuck explains, struggling to continue. 

Chenle can feel Jaemin's stress sky-rocketing, and silently thanks Mark as the leader joins them on the floor to soothe a hand through Jisung's hair. Jeno follows soon after, gathering Jaemin into his arms and whispering, "it's alright. He probably misstepped and twisted his ankle. It'll be painful, but as long as he ices it and rests properly he'll be fine, alright?" 

Jaemin sighs, head dropping to place a kiss on Jisung's temple. "Humans are so  _ fragile.  _ You can't possibly expect me to stay home while you all do dangerous activities after this." 

They all huff at that, and even Jisung lets out a pained chuckle. "Hyung, dancing hardly classifies as dangerous. I'm just stupid and clumsy." 

"He is," Chenle agrees. Jisung's eyes shoot him a sharp glare and he grins in response. 

"Even if you were here you couldn't have stopped it, okay?" Renjun tells Jaemin, and the last of his fight drains from him. The elder demon fully slumps in place, still held in Jeno's embrace, still hugging Jisung to his chest. 

"I just worry," Jaemin mutters, petulant.

"Yeah yeah, you big baby. Now, go hide before our manager finds you. He went to get the car for Jisung, he'll be back any second," Donghyuck says, trying to pull Jisung away from a resisting, stubborn Jaemin. Finally succeeding, he grabs Chenle and shoves him into Jaemin's arms as a substitute, and Chenle can't find it in himself to complain as Jaemin's warmth wraps around him like a blanket. 

"You'll really be alright?" Jaemin asks, quiet. Their expressions soften at the vulnerable expression on Jaemin's face, and after a few more affirmations, Jaemin finally teleports back.

When they're alone at the dorms, and Jaemin's unease is too prominent to bear, Chenle cuddles him aggressively on Jeno's bed, telling him, "you can smother him when they're back, okay?" 

"I'm never letting him out of my sight again." 

"It's just a twisted ankle, he'll be fine. Jisung is brave."

"That he is. My brave little human," Jaemin sniffs, and Chenle rolls his eyes and snuggles in deeper into Jaemin's neck. 

" _ Our  _ brave little humans," he whispers, and Jaemin laughs. 

It's true, after all. Being stuck in a dorm of idols isn't exactly the most conventional route a demon can take, but who is Chenle to complain? He wouldn't exchange it for the world.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I don't really know what this is. I just needed to get something out because its been so long. If you are curious about why I've been on hiatus and have disappeared off all socials you can keep reading.
> 
> I think keeping a twitter account just pressures me into writing too much. I was much more consistent when the only engagement I had with readers was through comments. I'm not sure why. For the sake of my own health I just decided to let go of my online presence as "plopdropflop". 
> 
> I cant promise any updates or new stories anytime soon, but I hope when I do manage to churn one out that you will enjoy. I feel a bit weird about writing lately, but hopefully I manage to get over that slump.
> 
> Thank you for reading. Please do comment and leave kudos if you wish, it would mean a lot to me!


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